what hints/help made the first 6 months easier for you being a new mum pls?

[LindsayWA]

Subbing

[sylvia1111]

SO MANY wonderful hints were posted by so many people about something so important as helpful hints for caring for our babies.

I wonder if anyone else has hints to add to this thread.

I'm so happy that many people were following this thread and really expressed their appreciation for this helpful thread.

We are always happy to keep getting more hints and learn from each other.

Thank you.

[MamaMell]

Subbing. Thanks OP.

[MrsMummaButterfly]

Just bumping this to see if any current hubbers have any other useful info to add and to ask a Mod to please make this a sticky? [emoji4]

[MrsMummaButterfly]

Bump

[Yogis Mumma]

I will read from the beginning but I am curious if there's anything else to add! [emoji4]

[WaitRose]

Great thread and I'd wished I'd seen it before I had my DD! (Who is now 4 months). Some tips to add to what's already been said in this great thread-

- trust your instincts. Yes, it's all new and yes, you have no idea what you're doing and yes, you'll be totally lacking in confidence and susceptible to "suggestions" from MIL (or is that just me?!) But just because you've never done something before it doesn't mean that you don't know your baby the best and what you think is right. If it turns out not to work, try something else! You won't break your baby (as long as you follow safety guidelines, obviously)

-if in doubt, flop em out is my mantra! A boob will more often than not make everything ok (if you're BF, of course)

- baby wearing and cosleeping are a godsend

- love to dream and ErgoCocoon swaddles (or similar designs) are the best! So easy to zip and unzip, your bub might prefer arms up or arms down

-join your local Facebook BSS groups/kids classifieds, and BSS groups for particular brands (e.g. Bugaboo) You can pick up -and in time, pass on- pretty much everything you need for bub, and save a fortune!

-invest in some bamboo reuseable breast pads. You'll leak like a mofo and the disposeable ones are hideous. There's a qld mum called milkmaidmumma who makes and sells beautiful ones. Peapods do some too I think

-also invest in some BF-friendly clothing. My first few weeks I struggled with learning how to BF and keep my modesty and several times a day would get ****ed off with what I was wearing and was disheartened by the whole thing. It was definitely money well spent! There are BSS groups for BF clothes too, so it needn't cost a bomb

-encourage dad to be as involved and proactive as possible right from day 1. It'll pay dividends in the long run

[Wickedly Happy]

If you have to or choose to bottle feed, warming bottles can be a PITA, especially at night or when you're out and about. My "quick trick" was to fill a thermos with boiling water at night and have my bottles of cooled water at room temp on the bench, with my formula measured into little dispenser cups all lined up (you can get the Tommee Tippee ones that are brilliant!). I worked out that if I needed, say 80mls of formula in total, I'd put 60m of cooled, boiled water into a bottle and leave it on the bench. When baby demanded a feed, I just had to tip in 20mls of boiling water from the thermos (no waiting for the kettle to boil), tip in a container of formula, teat on, shake it up and we were ready to go! If we went out to the shops, I could always get boiling water from a cafe or in one centre, a parents room. No need to stress about keeping bottles of formula cold in the summer heat either.

[Hopeful37]

If you have to or choose to bottle feed, warming bottles can be a PITA, especially at night or when you're out and about. My "quick trick" was to fill a thermos with boiling water at night and have my bottles of cooled water at room temp on the bench, with my formula measured into little dispenser cups all lined up (you can get the Tommee Tippee ones that are brilliant!). I worked out that if I needed, say 80mls of formula in total, I'd put 60m of cooled, boiled water into a bottle and leave it on the bench. When baby demanded a feed, I just had to tip in 20mls of boiling water from the thermos (no waiting for the kettle to boil), tip in a container of formula, teat on, shake it up and we were ready to go! If we went out to the shops, I could always get boiling water from a cafe or in one centre, a parents room. No need to stress about keeping bottles of formula cold in the summer heat either.

Omg what great advice! Where were you a couple of months ago when I was doing night feeds!! [emoji4]

[Wickedly Happy]

Omg what great advice! Where were you a couple of months ago when I was doing night feeds!! [emoji4]

It took me ages to come up with this one! Made long car trips and days out so much easier! Life is crazy when you're bottle feeding allllllllll night!

[mrsh1984]

Subbing!